Installations don’t always go as planned, and sometimes damage to water pipes and electrical lines occur.

To mitigate occasional damage, fibre installers have to give a range of guarantees, including large deposits before they’re allowed to dig up the town’s driveways.

According to the municipality, there have been 37 incidents of infrastructure damage by four fibre installers since the start of the year.
Incidents were reported all over town, including Aerorand, Kanonkop, the CBD and Gholfsig.

The damage has been repaired by contractors approved by the municipality on the fibre installers’ dime.

With the repairing of damages, individual fibre installers are charged actual repair costs plus admin fees and VAT, the municipality told www.mobserver.co.za.
Refundable deposits also have to be made to ensure damage claims.

Aerorand installers paid a R216 384 refundable deposit before installation.

A deposit of R241 972 was paid in the CBD, R107 940 in Kanonkop and R211 948 in Gholfsig, all areas where damage to infrastructure has been reported.

Altogether three companies were granted wayleaves to install fibre optic cables by the council for fibre to the home connectivity.

The municipality says it undertakes regular onsite inspections, while regular meetings with contractors are also mandatory.

The general rules associated with installations are contained in the wayleave approval, aligned to the municipality’s wayleave policy.
A wayleave is a right-of-way approval that has to be approved by the council.

Roadwork and pavement work may only commence once a wayleave is approved.

The installation must follow strict wayleave conditions imposed by the council.

Installations are guided by strict deadlines, which are also imposed by the council.
Overhead installations have all been barred.

Fibre installers further submitted guarantees for 88Kv electric cable and public liability insurances, with the deposits refundable after six months from the date of completion.

Wayleaves run into the millions, as previously reported.

Meanwhile, numerous homeowners all over town have complained about dug up driveways and destroyed lawns.